1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the construction of railroad cars, and more particularly, to a unique mounting arrangement for connecting the side stakes of open top rail cars to the underframe of the rail car that eliminate stress concentrations and unnecessary fracture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore in the art, open top rail cars such as gondolas and hoppers, have experienced premature and unnecessary failure and breakage at the point of connection of the reinforcing side stake with the underframe of the rail car. These side stakes are mounted to the underframe and extend upwardly therefrom in an essentially cantilever fashion to support and reinforce the side walls of the rail car. Since open top rail cars have no top or roof structure to provide support for the upper portion, extreme forces often can be applied to the upper portion of the side stake during loading and unloading or when loads shift during starting, stopping and humping of rail cars.
Typically, the prior art rail cars have had the side stakes attached rigidly by welding. Accordingly, since the side stake may be as long as 8 to 10 feet, substantial leverage forces are created when force is applied to the upper end of the side stake. These forces are concentrated at the point of connection and the usable life of the rail cars are typically reduced as a result of premature unnecessary failure and breakage at the connecting junction of the side stake and underframe.
Since the means of connections heretofore used have not provided a direct connection between side stake and underframe at the upper point of contact, no direct means of providing a reaction moment has been provided in prior art rail car constructions. Accordingly, the present invention was developed to obviate the deficiencies in the prior art to provide a means of connecting the side stake to the underframe in such a manner as to provide the side stake with a direct tension connection which is pivotably attached to the side stake alleviating secondary bending moments at the point of connection.